Paroxetine is a novel antidepressant drug with selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitory properties. In a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover sleep laboratory study the single-dose effects on objective and subjective sleep and awakening qualities were investigated after paroxetine 20, 30 and 40 mg morning doses (PX 20, 30, 40), paroxetine 30 mg evening dose, fluoxetine 40 mg morning dose (FX 40) and placebo in 18 healthy young volunteers. The drugs were orally administered in 2-wk intervals. In addition to each drug night, the adaptation night and washout night were recorded. Polysomnographic investigations (10:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.) showed a delayed sleep onset only after the morning intake of paroxetine, PX 40 being statistically different from placebo. Total sleep time and sleep efficiency deteriorated under morning PX 30, PX 40 and evening PX 30 as compared to placebo. The nocturnal wake time and sleep stage 1 increased under the paroxetine. Rapid eye movement (REM) reduction (min and %) occurred dose dependently after all paroxetine doses, but the REM latency was lengthened only after the morning intake. The suppressant effect on REM sleep is characteristic for antidepressants and was still significant in the washout nights following PX 40 and evening PX 30. The only statistically relevant finding under 40 mg fluoxetine referred to the increase of REM latency in both drug and washout nights. In contrast to objective results, subjective sleep quality remained generally unchanged. Attention, concentration and reaction performance improved under paroxetine as compared to baseline. The deterioration of well-being under PX 40 might be related to the appearance of drowsiness and nausea. Blood pressure and pulse rate were unaffected.

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Asporin has been reported as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer, while asporin-activated invasion has been described in gastric cancer. According to our in silico search, high asporin expresion associates with significantly better relapse free survival (RFS) in patients with low-grade tumors but RFS is significantly worse in patients with grade 3 tumors. In line with other studies, we have confirmed asporin expression by RNA scope in situ hybridization in cancer associated fibroblasts. We have also found asporin expression in the Hs578T breast cancer cell line which we confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting. From multiple testing, we found that asporin can be downregulated by bone morphogenetic protein 4 while upregulation may be facilited by serum-free cultivation or by three dimensional growth in stiff Alvetex scaffold. Downregulation by shRNA inhibited invasion of Hs578T as well as of CAFs and T47D cells. Invasion of asporin-negative MDA-MB-231 and BT549 breast cancer cells through collagen type I was enhanced by recombinant asporin. Besides other investigations, large scale analysis of aspartic acid repeat polymorphism will be needed for clarification of the asporin dual role in progression of breast cancer.

The Candida albicans heat shock protein 90 kDa (hsp90-CA) is an important target for protective antibodies in disseminated candidiasis of experimental mice and humans. Hsp90-CA is present in the cell wall of Candida pseudohyphae or hyphae--typical pathogenic morphotypes in both mucosal and systemic Candida infections. However, the potential protective effects of hsp90-CA-specific antibodies in vaginal candidiasis has not yet been reported. In the present study we used various vaccine formulations (recombinant hsp90-CA protein and hsp90-CA-encoding DNA vaccine) and routes of administration (intradermal, intranasal, and intravenous) to induce both hsp90-CA-specific systemic and vaginal mucosa immune responses in experimental BALB/c mice. The results showed that intradermal recombinant hsp90-CA protein priming, followed by intranasal or intradermal recombinant hsp90-CA protein boosting induced significant increases in both serum and vaginal hsp90-CA-specific IgG and IgA antibodies compared to the control group, as well as enhanced hsp90-CA-specific splenocyte responses in vitro. In the intradermally boosted group, subsequent experimental vaginal Candida infection induced additional increases in the hsp90-CA specific IgG isotype, suggesting that Candida has the ability to induce a local hsp90-specific antibody (IgG) response during vulvovaginal candidiasis. Further work is required to elucidate the importance of immunity to highly conserved antigens during infection of the human female reproductive tract where a balance between immunity to and tolerance for commonly antigens such as hsp90 is necessary for the maintenance of fertility.

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Vaccination is historically one of the most successful strategies for the prevention of infectious diseases. For safety reasons, modern vaccinology tends toward the usage of inactivated or attenuated microorganisms and uses predominantly subunit vaccines. The antigens need to be clearly defined, pure, stable, appropriately composed, and properly presented to the immune system of the host. Differing ratios of various proportions between specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses are essential for conferring the required protection in the case of individual vaccines. To stimulate both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, the antigens must be processed and presented to both antigen-presentation pathways, MHC I and MHC II. Protein antigens delivered by vaccination are processed as extracellular antigens. However, extracellularly delivered antigen can be directed towards intracellular presentation pathways in conjugation with molecules involved in antigen cross-presentation, e.g. heat shock proteins, or by genomic-DNA vaccination. In this overview, current knowledge of the host immune response to DNA vaccines is summarized in the introduction. The subsequent sections discuss techniques for enhancing DNA vaccine efficacy, such as DNA delivery to specific tissues, delivery of DNA to the cell cytoplasm or nucleus, and enhancement of the immune response using molecular adjuvants. Finally, the prospects of DNA vaccination and ongoing clinical trials with various DNA vaccines are discussed.

Candidiases, infections caused by germination forms of the Candida fungus, represent a heterogeneous group of diseases from systemic infection, through mucocutaneous form, to vulvovaginal form. Although caused by one organism, each form is controlled by distinct host immune mechanisms. Phagocytosis by polymorphonuclears and macrophages is generally accepted as the host immune mechanism for Candida elimination. Phagocytes require proinflammatory cytokine stimulation which could be harmful and must be regulated during the course of infection by the activity of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. In the vaginal tissue the phagocytes are inefficient and inflammation is generally an unwanted reaction because it could damage mucosal tissue and break the tolerance to common vagina antigens including the otherwise saprophyting Candida yeast. Recurrent form of vulvovaginal candidiasis is probably associated with breaking of such tolerance. Beside the phagocytosis, specific antibodies, complement, and mucosal epithelial cell comprise Candida eliminating immune mechanisms. They are regulated by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells which produce cytokines IL-12, IFN-gamma, IL-10, TGF-beta, etc. as the response to signals from dendritic cells specialized to sense actual Candida morphotypes. During the course of Candida infection proinflammatory signals (if initially necessary) are replaced successively by antiinflammatory signals. This balance is absolutely distinct during each candidiasis form and it is crucial to describe and understand the basic principles before designing new therapeutic and/or preventive approaches.

The exposure of human cells to oxidative stress leads to the oxidation of biomolecules such as lipids, proteins and nuclei acids. In this study, the oxidation of lipids, proteins and DNA was studied after the addition of hydrogen peroxide and Fenton reagent to cell suspension containing human leukemic monocyte lymphoma cell line U937. EPR spin-trapping data showed that the addition of hydrogen peroxide to the cell suspension formed hydroxyl radical via Fenton reaction mediated by endogenous metals. The malondialdehyde HPLC analysis showed no lipid peroxidation after the addition of hydrogen peroxide, whereas the Fenton reagent caused significant lipid peroxidation. The formation of protein carbonyls monitored by dot blot immunoassay and the DNA fragmentation measured by comet assay occurred after the addition of both hydrogen peroxide and Fenton reagent. Oxidative damage of biomolecules leads to the formation of singlet oxygen as conformed by EPR spin-trapping spectroscopy and the green fluorescence of singlet oxygen sensor green detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy. It is proposed here that singlet oxygen is formed by the decomposition of high-energy intermediates such as dioxetane or tetroxide formed by oxidative damage of biomolecules.